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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rock — music
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. rock — a stone
  9. sharp — clever
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. rest — what's left
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. lean — thin
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lean — to bend
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. prune — to trim
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com